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Snow Water Equivalent vs. Stream Discharge Comparison

Snow Water Equivalent vs. Stream Discharge Comparison. Sarah Ruth Merrigan, Dr. Xubin Zeng, University of Arizona Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Science ASU/NASA Space Grant Symposium April 22, 2017. Problem Statement.

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Snow Water Equivalent vs. Stream Discharge Comparison

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  1. Snow Water Equivalent vs. Stream Discharge Comparison Sarah Ruth Merrigan, Dr. Xubin Zeng, University of Arizona Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Science ASU/NASA Space Grant Symposium April 22, 2017

  2. Problem Statement • Snow is the main source of water in the Upper Colorado River Basin • By finding a correlation between snow water equivalent (SWE) and river discharge, a model can be developed to predict flow based on the amount of snow Upper Colorado River Basin

  3. Overview • The project focused on the Colorado Headwaters Watershed • A small watershed within the Upper Colorado River Basin Flow data was collected at the gauge of discharge for the watershed • The gauge with the lowest elevation • Station Number 9070500: Colorado River Near Dostero, CO • Elevation of 6,130 feet Colorado Headwaters Watershed (EPA)

  4. Methods • Snow data was analyzed using MATLAB • Abstract SWE data from geo referenced files (.tiff files) • Organize data into graphs to compare to flow discharge • The lag between peak snow water equivalent and peak discharge for each year was identified • Discharge values were obtained from the Colorado Water Science Center • Full 30 years of data had to be requested from the Water Science Center • Data was organized in MATLAB and compared to snow data

  5. Results Lag plot for year 1986 (lag of 80 days) SWE vs Discharge for years 1982-1986

  6. Results Statistical Analysis for all lag values for years 1982-2014

  7. Application • The significant correlation between snow water equivalent and discharge can be used to develop a numerical model • This model can be used to predict the amount of available water for a year based on snowfall and precipitation • This model would assist the agriculture industry, allowing for a better understanding of available water resources

  8. Acknowledgements • Dr. Xubin Zeng • Nick Dawson • UofA Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences • NASA Space Grant

  9. Thank you

  10. SWE vs Discharge 1982-1986 SWE vs Discharge 1987-1991 SWE vs Discharge 1992-1996 SWE vs Discharge 1997-2001

  11. SWE vs Discharge 2002-2006 SWE vs Discharge 2007-2011 SWE vs Discharge 2012-2014

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